1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a storage structure of a vehicle roof which can be opened and closed so as to be stored in a storage space arranged in an area behind the seats, and more specifically, relates to a storage structure of a vehicle roof comprising a package tray which covers the top of the storage space.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicle comprising a roof which can be opened and closed has been conventionally known (Japanese Patent Application No. 2001 -113952 ). The roof of such a vehicle comprises an upper roof component covering an area above seats in the vehicle interior compartment, a rear roof component covering a back area of the vehicle interior compartment and a linkage mechanism to connect the upper roof component with the rear roof component. These upper and rear roof components move between their closed position, where the vehicle interior compartment is covered, and their open position, where the vehicle interior compartment is exposed. Furthermore, the components are configured such that they are stored in a storage space when they are in their open position. In such a structure in which the upper and rear roof components are stored in the storage space, the storage space becomes vacant when the both roof components are brought to their closed position and some articles may fall into it. The falling of articles into the storage space is prevented by installing a package tray which covers an area above the storage space.
Such a package tray as mentioned above may interfere with the traveling of the upper and rear roof components when they move from their closed position to the storage space. The known package tray is configured to be movable by installing an electric motor, gear box, etc., behind the package tray and it is moved when the both roof components are brought into the storage space so as to prevent the package tray from interfering their traveling (see, Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-113952, the 3rd page, drawings 1, 9 and 11)
Because the package tray of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-113952 is moved by an electric motor, gear box, etc., the package tray moving structure becomes complicated and costly. Moreover, the vehicle compartment and luggage compartment will be small due to a space required for installing the motor and the like.